The woman behind what some are calling “the real life PS I Love You” story lost her battle to cancer this morning at the age of 51.
Amy Krouse Rosenthal touched the lives of many after her essay titled “You May Want to Marry My Husband” made its rounds around the internet. After being diagnosed with ovarian cancer in 2015, she decided this Valentine’s Day to tell the love story about her and her husband Jason, 52, as well as create a dating profile for her soon to be widower.
In her moving piece, she described the love she had for her husband, claiming he’s “an easy man to fall in love with. I did it in one day.”
She expressed how wonderful of a father he is to their three children, Justin, 24, Miles, 22, and Paris, 19. She gushed about his looks, how much she’s going to miss seeing him, and describing every little detail about him to prepare the next woman what she’s in for.
She ended her essay with probably the most powerful yet simple finale:
“I am wrapping this up on Valentine’s Day, and the most genuine, non-vase-oriented gift I can hope for is that the right person reads this, finds Jason, and another love story begins. I’ll leave this intentional empty space below as a way of giving you two the fresh start you deserve.”
Thousands of readers internationally sobbed while reading her post, but no one was more moved by the essay than her husband of 26 years.
In a statement released to PEOPLE he said, “I didn’t know what exactly what she was composing. But I was with her as she labored through this process and I can tell you that writing the story was no easy task. When I read her words for the first time, I was shocked at the beauty, slightly surprised at the incredible prose given her condition and, of course, emotionally ripped apart.”
By creating a dating profile for her husband for after she’s gone is a selfless act of kindness and devotion towards her husband. Spending her last few days selflessly composing a beautifully crafted masterpiece in hopes to attract the right woman to continue to love her husband the way she did, not even expecting to grab the hearts of many around the world.
The Chicago native was a best-selling author of memoir, Textbook Amy Krouse Rosenthal, where she also told her beautiful love story, and several children’s books.
If there is one thing we learned from this touching act of love is that romance is still real, and fairytales do exist, even if they don’t have the happy ending we all hope for.
Featured Image via Amy Krouse Rosenthal/Wedding Bug Photography
